Have You Pressed The Reset Button On Your RTO?

This is my first Blog for the new financial year so I want to make sure you and your RTO are starting out on the right foot.

And in order to do that, we all have to stop, reflect and make some critical decisions about what we will and won't do in 2021-2022.

Otherwise, there's a strong possibility we will just focus on the tasks at hand and continue with the same (and possibly bad) habits from last financial year which will likely lead to similar results – some of which we want and some we probably don't.

So this week's blog and next week's will help you reset and refocus your RTO so you have an even better 2021-2022.

Many RTO CEOs, Managers and Owners use 30 June as a countdown to get everything done before the financial year officially shuts. But realistically, they know they won't get EVERYTHING done because it's a never-ending To Do List, isn't it?

• Running yourself into the ground to make all the payments and decisions needed before the 30 June deadline.

• Snapping at staff when they didn't meet deadlines which added to the pressure.

• Snapping at clients, students or customers when they asked for the impossible to be 'done before 30 June'. This meant you're were thinking 'Why does lack of planning on your part create an emergency for me?'.

• Ultimately falling out of love with your RTO which isn't good.

 

Then instead of coming to work on 1st July with positivity and new energy because it's a NEW YEAR' and an opportunity to start again, I wonder if you're like most people who simply plunged themselves straight into catchup and firefighter mode rather than strategic and business mode?

And if this was you, then you're concentrating on completing multiple tasks at once and being 'so busy' that you're not able to focus on what's truly important which leads to frustration, confusion and overwhelm.

 

Which means if this keeps up, it's going to be a very long and exhausting year. And haven't you had enough of them?

 

What if instead, you stopped to determine what you don't want to bring from last financial year into this one? By doing this, you'll start and end 2021-2022 with clarity, results and fun rather than you and your staff feeling frustrated, overwhelmed and rundown.

So please take a few moments to write down what happened last financial year including the wins and lessons learnt. This will help you determine what worked, what didn't and what you would do differently with the benefit of hindsight.

 

With this list in mind, here's three simple strategies to help you reset your RTO so you start this new financial year with a Bang!

In my experience, most people running RTOs are wonderful people who are too nice to their staff. As a result, with the best of intentions, they let things go or don't address things when they happen.

Because they don't like dealing with conflict and they hope, by ignoring issues, they'll go away. But they don't.

So which behaviours, attitudes and frustrations (that with the best of intentions, you've inadvertently turned a blind eye to), don't you want appearing this year?

 

These often include arriving to work late, not meeting deadlines, not keeping the kitchen clean, not following procedures, disrespecting colleagues etc.

 

• Own your part in not addressing these things sooner

• Outline the behaviours and expectations which need to stop and the new habits to start building

• Share the help you'll provide to make this happen eg training, support, documented systems

• Outline the consequences for not embracing the new boundaries and expectations

• Provide staff with a written summary of what's expected.

When clients engage me to reset their RTO and teams, I provide staff with laminated copies of visual 'start and stop' reminders. This simple system shows you're committed to changes. It also addresses the 'I forgot' excuse.

By sharing the old and new boundaries and expectations NOW with your staff, it provides them with the clarity (and the reminders) they need so they don't fall back into old habits.

 

It will also quickly show you who's really on your RTO Team Train and who isn't.

Some of you, like me, possibly had a 'Not Negotiable Before 30 June' To Do List which helped you get to the finish line with hopefully some sanity.

Now is the time to review that list as well as what you've developed for 2021-2022 to see what's realistically possible.

 

This list should only include the tasks which MUST be done, based on the current capacity and capability of you and your team because we don't want to set anyone up to fail.

Remember, these are targeted, realistic and mission critical tasks which cannot (or you don't want to) be completed any later than 30 June 2022. These not-negotiable tasks then become everyone's focus for the new financial year.

This list should also include BONUS Tasks which can be completed if you have a great run.

You'll be amazed at what's achieved with a smaller focused list simply because you've given people permission to park what can actually wait or isn't really a priority.

 

It's time to Plan Tomorrow TODAY so if it's not done already done, start writing your 2020 Annual Business Intent NOW.

The one page template I develop with my clients is called a Business Intent and not a Business Plan.

The reason for the change in name is because we can Plan to do anything but often don't achieve it.

 

However, by changing the language to Intent, it shifts us cognitively and increases the likelihood of achievement.

 

In addition, by having everything succinctly on one page; it provides clarity, focus and simplicity which owners, management and staff can embrace.

If you don't have a similar document or want one and not sure where to start, then please check out my How To Write Your 2021 Business Plan webinar for the process and template you need.  Whilst I did this webinar for a calendar year plan, to make things easy for you, I've just added in a 2021-2022 template to the resources.

 

It's your choice to decide what behaviours, attitudes and tasks will start and stop in your RTO in this new financial year.

And remember Ryan Blair's words:

 

 

If you take the time to reset your RTO right now, you'll give yourself the best chance to finish this financial year with a bang instead of feeling stressed, stuck and shattered.

P.S.
If you're looking for some Support, Strategy and Systems to help you manage your RTO, they why not join me inside Coach In Your Corner – the only membership program designed specifically for anyone running (or aspiring to run) an RTO.

Dedicated to helping you run a simple profitable business (whilst juggling everything else)!

Tamara